Charles Spencer took to social media with an exciting announcement on Wednesday.
The ninth Earl Spencer took to his X account to share the news that his headline-making book, A Very Private School has been chosen by NPR as one of its summer reads. The book bravely details the abuse Charles suffered as a child while attending Maidwell Prep School.
"Thrilled and truly grateful to see that my childhood memoir A Very Private School has been chosen by @NPR as one of its summer reads," he penned.
Fans were thrilled by the news, with one replying: "It was a great read even though it was quite hard to keep back the tears at times!" A second added: "It must have been extremely difficult for you to go over it all again and all the details known publicly, but you have so much support from us all. Your book thoroughly deserves to be there."
The exciting news came just days after Charles shocked fans when he revealed he and his wife, Countess Spencer, are getting a divorce after 13 years of marriage.
The pair currently live at Althorp House, the stately home that has been in Charles' family since 1508.
Charles shared the news first with the Mail On Sunday. He told the publication: "It is immensely sad. I just want to devote myself to all my children, and to my grandchildren, and I wish Karen every happiness in the future."
The couple, who married in 2011, share one daughter, Charlotte Diana, 12.
© Max Mumby/IndigoIt is thought that Charles and Karen's marriage broke down amid the strain of the Earl's memoir, but despite this, Karen was exceptionally supportive of Charles and shared a gushing post about his achievement when he first shared the cover of the brave memoir.
She wrote: "When he first publicly shared the cover image, Karen re-posted it to her Instagram account, commenting: "My husband Charles has written a book about his experience at the boarding school he was sent to at age 8. It's titled 'A Very Private School' it's being released in March, but you can preorder now. As a mother, this photo of him, aged 8, about to leave his home just breaks my heart."
Karen continued: "I can't even begin to express how proud I am of him for writing this book. It was hard even watching him write it. Reliving it in order to write it and connecting with his contemporaries who shared the experience and living their trauma has made for a very challenging 5 years. But it's worth it.
"This is a story that needs to be told, and there is no one better to tell it. His history-author brain, obsessive with detail and facts, his ability to put the whole madness of sending children away at 8 into a [historical] context, and his painfully beautiful writing combine so wonderfully to make this difficult subject absolutely riveting…"
As well as Charlotte, Charles is the father to Lady Kitty Spencer, twins Eliza and Amelia Spencer and Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, with his ex-wife Victoria Aitkin. Charles is also the father to Edmund and Lara, whom he shares with his second wife Caroline Freud.
